You’re probably of the many daily tasks your smartphones can help you tackle, thanks to the huge variety of apps available for download.
What you may not know is that you can now use your iPhone to check the status of the engine in your car. Your iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad can help you perform many tasks that may be beyond your area of expertise.
That includes performing simple maintenance checks on your car to save money. When the check-engine light in your dashboard turns on, the number of problems it could be alerting you to is vast, and the levels of consequences are nearly as large.
That light could be warning you about a problem that’s as simple as a loose gas cap, or as serious as a fried engine. It used to be that when this light came on, you didn’t have much of a chance of finding out why, unless you took your car to a shop and paid to have it plugged into a computer to check out the situation.
Depending on where you had this service performed, it could potentially be very costly. But if you don’t get such warnings checked, you could end up in an accident due to mechanical failure.
But now you can check potential issues on your own, with the GoPoint scan tool and app.
How it works
Cars produced today use computers to take care of the engine and electronic operation of your vehicle. Although these cars use computers, they don’t have a built-in screen for you to view and consult.
If something goes wrong with the computer on your car, you have to use a special tool to scan it and read what the problem is. Such scanners are costly pieces of equipment, and they’re usually found only in an auto mechanic’s shop.
The good news is this is no longer the only way to discover what’s going on with your car. GoPoint Technology’s app for iPods, iPhones, and iPads will turn your Apple device into a screen for the computer of your car.
To make it work for you, connect your device to the car with the accompanying cable, and open the app, which empowers your device to communicate with your car. From here, depending on which software you downloaded, you can get access to the check engine codes, view gauges that depict the functions of your car, and check the common problems that cause engine codes to occur.
You can even set reminders to complete repairs, which will give you time to decide whether you can do the job yourself or you need professional assistance.
Similar apps
This successful technology has inspired many other companies to produce similar apps, which work with the same kind of connecting cable used by the GoPoint program. Other companies have developed personal devices that can help you get the best performance out of your vehicle, based on similar techniques and technology used for diagnostic apps.
This technology to improve your auto experience can help you understand how your vehicle works, find more ways to save money on repairs, and become a more informed vehicle owner and driver.
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Originally posted on March 20, 2014 @ 3:04 am
